Scientist II

Solugen

14549 Minetta St., Houston TX 77035

Position

Scientist II

About Solugen:

Solugen is a groundbreaking technology company on a bold mission to decarbonize the physical world. At the heart of our innovation is the world’s first sustainable molecule factory—the Bioforge. This unique manufacturing platform uses a chemienzymatic process to convert plant-derived substances into essential materials that have historically been made from fossil fuels—all with minimal emissions and no hazardous waste. A highly scalable and localized alternative to conventional approaches, the Bioforge enables us to produce a range of high-performance, cost-competitive, and sustainable solutions to meet the diverse needs of our customers.

The Role:

Solugen is seeking a highly motivated and innovative Scientist II to join our dynamic R&D team. The successful candidate will spearhead and execute pivotal projects, while playing a key role in advancing our chemical product pipeline. This position demands a strong foundation in molecular microbiology, biology and enzymology, coupled with exceptional problem-solving abilities and a truly collaborative spirit. The ability to thrive in a fast-paced startup environment is essential, and some travel may be required.

Key Outcomes:

1. Within one month of starting, become familiar with the laboratory and workflow and begin collecting data by running experiments according to established plans and procedures.
2. Within three months, demonstrate the ability to work independently by designing, executing, and presenting data from original experiments.
3. Provide vital support to the team by assisting with the scale-up and purification of key molecules.

Key Competencies

• Adaptable and Agile: Thrives in a fast-paced, dynamic startup environment and embraces change and ambiguity. This is especially valuable given the nature of a life science or manufacturing startup.
• Respectful and Collaborative: Values diverse perspectives and fosters a positive and inclusive team environment.
• Inquisitive and Insightful: Proactively seeks knowledge and applies it to enhance work quality.
• Organized and Self-Directed: Demonstrates initiative and effectively manages priorities and workload with minimal supervision.
• Flexible and Versatile: Readily adapts to evolving responsibilities and diverse tasks.
• Creative and Solutions-Oriented: Applies innovative thinking to overcome challenges and achieve objectives.
• Open to Learning: Eager to expand knowledge and explore new scientific and engineering concepts.
• Collaboration & Communication: Works effectively in multidisciplinary teams including microbiologists, chemists, and engineers.
• Critical Thinking & Problem Solving: Possesses the ability to troubleshoot culture conditions or anomalous test results.
• Documentation & Reporting: Maintains accurate lab notebook management, clear report writing, and strong scientific communication skills.
• Project Management: Capable of planning experiments, managing timelines, and meeting deliverables in research or industrial settings.
• Safety-Conscious: Maintains a vigilant focus on safety protocols and procedures. Adheres to biosafety levels (BSL-2) and chemical safety guidelines.
• Field Sampling from the Environment: Experience with collecting microbial samples from various environmental sources (e.g., soil, water, industrial sites) using appropriate techniques and methods.
• Microbial Culturing & Aseptic Techniques: Strong proficiency in sterile and aseptic techniques to prevent contamination. Experience with cultivating and maintaining diverse microbial species, including experience with anaerobic culture techniques using appropriate chambers, jars, or specialized media.
• Molecular Techniques: Strong proficiency in microbial identification and enumeration, utilizing biochemical assays, and advanced molecular tools such as PCR, qPCR, and DNA sequencing (e.g., 16S rRNA sequencing). Competency in traditional enumeration methods like CFU counting and optical density (OD600) measurements. Experience in enzymology preferred.
• Data Analysis & Interpretation: Competency in statistical analysis of experimental data using software (e.g., GraphPad Prism, R, or Python).

Job Specific Technical Skills

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s or Master’s in biology, or a related field with high-quality research output.
• Minimum 1 year of industry experience in a life science or manufacturing startup environment is required
• Applicants must be currently authorized to work in the United States on a full-time basis.
  
  

Solugen is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, age, gender, sexual orientation, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status or any other legally protected status.

To ensure compliance with U.S. export control laws and regulations, candidate must be a ‘U.S. Person,’ which is defined as a U.S. citizen, a U.S. permanent resident, or a person granted asylum or refugee status in the U.S. or have the ability to obtain an export authorization.